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US Championship 2015 - Round 1

GM Lars Bo Hansen recaps Round 1. The super-favorite Hikaru Nakamura wins the first game of the Championship against GM Holt, not without some thrilling moment. Hikaru sacrificed a pawn to gain mobility and keep his chance of a king-side attack open. But it wasn't 100% clear whether the sac was sound. Anyway, Holt found himself in time trouble and did not play at his best, allowing Nakamura to show his class and win the game with a very nice mating net. Welsey So won his game against Naroditsky, Robson won against Troff and our commentator Varuzhan Akobian won an interesting rook ending against the youngest participant in the Championship: GM Sam Sevian. An exciting first round in St. Louis!